— Out of the Woods

WHEN NATALIA WAS given a subpoena, she had been forced by her parents to go. So, she went in her 'best clothes' and she sat in front of a camera with a look of misery. After Clay's visit, they've only talked once. Only about the subpoenas, but nothing else came up.

"Good morning, Ms Bexley." Dennis greeted. The girl in question shot him a flustered smile. She'd always figured she'd be nervous when she'd been under any legal obligation. Not this nervous.

"Morning." Natalia replied, her smile faltering as her eyes flickered to her mothers face. She seemed awfully worried about this.

"My name is Dennis Vasquez, representing Andrew and Olivia Baker, and this is a deposition. I'll be asking you questions, and you must answer them truthfully... unless your attorney clearly instructs you otherwise. Do you understand?" Dennis asked and Natalia folded her hands on the table, reinforcing her small smile.

"Yes, sir." Natalia replied, fidgeting with the ring on her finger. The one Hannah gifted her the day she had ended her life.

It had a gold band with a peridot stone. It was Hannah's birthstone along with Natalia's since her birthday was the day before hers.

"There's no judge present, but this is a legal proceeding. You are under the same legal obligation to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, do you understand?" Dennis explained. Natalia sat up straight and eyed her mother before looking at Dennis.

"Yes." Natalia responded, crossing her legs.

"And for the record, can you state your name, your age, where you go to school, and what year you're in." Dennis asked and Natalia flattened her hands on the table.

"My name is Natalia Bexley, I'm seventeen and I'm a junior at Liberty Highschool." Natalia answered, her eyes bouncing to her anxious mother who's leg bobbed up and down.

"And when and where did you first meet Hannah Baker?" Dennis questioned and Natalia sighed as she thought.

"I first met Hannah Baker at a party she hosted at her house. It was still summer, so right before sophomore year." Natalia replied sadly.

"And how well did you know Hannah?" Dennis inquired while Natalia played with her ring again.

"At first, not well. I'd say that we didn't even like one another. A little while into our sophomore year we began talking and we became really good friends." Natalia divulged, her tone obviously saddened.

"Did you ever hear anyone say unkind things to Hannah?" Dennis asked and Natalia shook her head.

"Yes."

"Did you ever come to her defense?" Dennis asked and Natalia closed her eyes trying to think of any time she did. The one instance where she pulled her shirt down came to mind, but she didn't want to share that. She did one other time.

✺ ✺ ✺

Natalia hated the boys at Liberty. They were piggish and hateful. It made her mind twist in ways that made her act on impulse. Like when Montgomery slapped Hannah's ass on the third day of junior year.

It was earlier in the morning. She'd been sick of school already. Clay had zero classes with her and neither did Justin. She was left alone in class with hardly any good people except Hannah Baker. It was only art.

That day, they'd been painting. Hannah had been standing next to Natalia, working on her artwork when her elbow knocked over the water cup beside her. It fell right off the easel.

"Oh, shit. Do you want help?" Natalia asked, setting her paintbrush down.

"No, it's fine. Keep working, Nat." Hannah assured the girl, going over to the sink to grab paper towels. Montgomery seemed to wander over there too, but for completely different reasons.

The class had been quite loud, so Monty and Hannah's conversation had been mixed in with several other voices.

Natalia turned around to see Hannah's progress when she saw Monty reel his hand back and slap Hannah's ass as she began to walk toward her mess.

Hannah gasped and people seemed to stop talking. Monty's friends laughed from the other side of the room as if they'd been watching the whole time, so Natalia felt as if she was responsible for helping Hannah.

She walked over with a smile plastered on her face. Montgomery smirked back at her causing Hannah to be disgusted. She began to question Natalia until she saw the girl wound her arm back and punch Monty square in the face.

"Fuck you." Natalia spat and the teacher ran over, pulling the girl back.

Montgomery's nose began to bleed causing his friends to laugh even more.

"I'll fucking kill you bitch." Monty threatened, stepping forward.

"Okay, let me tell Justin you said that shit." Natalia shouted as the teacher practically pushed her out of the door.

Despite the sprained wrist and bruised knuckles, it was very worth it. Hannah actually loved Natalia after that. She'd never seen someone so quick to punish someone who'd be quick to come back at you. She liked that about Natalia. She had gutsZ

✺ ✺ ✺

NATALIA SQUIRMED IN her seat, smiling a bit as she recalled one of her favorite memories. Making Monty pay for being such a dick to Hannah and it turned out she had just been called a slut before she began walking off. So, it was a even better form of revenge.

Dennis furrowed his eyebrows as her smug smile disappeared.

"I punched a guy for her. I got suspended after, so I mean ir sucked. It was worth it though." Natalia answered and Dennis nodded.

Clay Jensen's mother was there. She had stayed quiet for the most part. She knew Natalia quite well since she'd been friends with Clay for years.

After a few more questions, they were done. This, however, wouldn't be the last time she'd be on this predicament.

✺ ✺ ✺

It was last period. Natalia had been ready to leave and planned to leave early. She walked down the hall toward Hannah's locker to see if she'd find her. Maybe she'd want to skip and go to Monet's. She did find Hannah. She was holding a microphone, quickly shoving it in her bag when she seen Nat.

"Hey Hannah." Natalia greeted, but she immediately noticed the exhaustion on her face. She furrowed her eyebrows and clutched the straps on her backpack.

"Hi, Nat." Hannah smiled, beginning to walk out of the doors. Natalia followed since she'd been dying to get a coffee.

"I'm dying for caffeine. Want to go to Monet's?" Natalia quizzed and Hannah sighed, stopping.

"Maybe some other time, Natalia." Hannah replied and Natalia nodded still standing in front of her.

"Alright. Where are you off to?" Natalia asked and Hannah pursed her lips looking to the sky.

"I'm not sure yet," Hannah answered and Natalia chuckled at her. Hannah almost considered staying for a coffee. When she seen Natalia, she seen a future with a loyal bestfriend. Then she began to think about her tape. "I do have something for you though."

Hannah popped a ring off her finger and held it out to Natalia.

"Wait, why? It still fits." Natalia pointed out and Hannah shook her head, pushing it onto Natalia's finger.

"Keep it safe, Natalia."

"Are you sure?" Natalia quizzed , admiring the stone.

"Yes. Goodbye, Natalia Bexley." Hannah said as she began to walk away. Natalia furrowed her eyebrows at how formal Hannah was, but laughed at her.

"Okay, and I'll see you tomorrow, Hannah Baker! Love 'ya!" Natalia shouted as Hannah walked away.

Hannah walked away with tears rolling down her cheeks at Natalia's words because for Hannah Baker, there was no tomorrow. There'd never be another tomorrow.

✺ ✺ ✺

NATALIA COULDN'T BELIEVE someone other than Clay was at her door. This time, luckily, her parent weren't home because Justin looked rough. He looked upset and tired. When she opened the door he leaned on the doorway and could hardly look at Natalia.

"I'm sorry, Natalia." Justin uttered, his eyes looking up at her for a moment. Natalia shook her head and grabbed his hand.

"You didn't do anything to me." Natalia assured him, but he shook his head. He stood up completely and stepped forward.

"I'll always have love for you, Bex. I'll always be thankful you stuck by my side. I'm sorry I've been distant. I just feel so fucking guilty for getting you on those tapes and Jesus, I don't want you to think of me like that for the rest of your life." Justin said, breaking down before her.

Natalia pulled him in for a hug. She saw Bryce in the car and sighed.

"I don't blame you for anything, Justin. We all failed her and I'll always love and remember you for the good things." Natalia whispered as he nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry." Justin muttered, breaking their hug.

He looked her in the eyes and kissed her cheek.

"Justin, you're fine." Natalia reassured him as he began to walk away. "I'll see you tomorrow. Call me later though!"

Natalia didn't know that she wouldn't see him tomorrow. She didn't know she wouldn't get that call. There were a lot of thinks she didn't know, but sometimes she wished she did.

Now things that were in the past, haunted her every waking moment. Any move can trigger a memory of Hannah. Not a day goes by that Natalia doesn't think of what she caused Hannah to do. That guilt will never go away. It'll feed on your soul until all that's left is a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any second. She'd never be completely out of the woods.

Natalia Bexley had been hurt, but she'll never be as hurt as Hannah Baker. Nor will she ever forget the girl. She'll never forget her smile or her laugh or the poetry she read once they became friends. The hood will never outweigh the bad. Natalia will always be one of the thirteen reasons why.

— Savior Complex